GB teams enter Fiba 3×3 Europe Cup in partnership with Basketball England
Great Britain teams will return to the FIBA 3×3 Europe Cup Qualifiers in June.
GB Basketball will again partner with Basketball England to prepare for the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the 2024 Paris Olympics and to grow the half-court version of the game in the UK.
Men’s and women’s teams will again be made up of prospective Team England players in preparation for the debut of the short-sided game at Birmingham 2022 the following month, as well as GB’s journey on the road to Paris, where 3×3 will also feature.
GB, ranked 28 in the world, will be part of a qualifying tournament in Constanta, Romania on 4-5 June. Details about who they could face can be found below.
The finals take place Graz, Austria on 9-11 September.
There was collaboration on the same basis in 2021 when GB teams made up of English players and supported by BE played in the Europe Cup and the FIBA 3×3 U23s Nations League.
The senior women took to 3×3 competition impressively with a dazzling qualifying run at the FIBA 3×3 Europe Cup Qualifier 2021 in Romania before heading to the Finals in Paris. The men’s team was a surprise package too in Romania where, as 12th seeds, they finished fifth, highlighted by a stunning 18-9 upset over fourth seed Hungary.
Interim British Basketball Federation chair Toni Minichiello said:
“We are at the start of a new journey for the British Basketball Federation following 2020’s Progression lottery funding award, which has specific targets to re-establish the BBF, continue the improvements in both the women’s and men’s games and look towards Paris 2024 for basketball.
“What better way to do that than again working in collaboration with the home countries, especially Basketball England the host nation, towards the Birmingham 2022.
“This collaboration with BE, alongside work with Basketball Wales and Basketball Scotland, helps enhance preparations for Commonwealth Games, grow 3×3 across the nation and build towards the prospect of competitive GB teams at Paris 2024.”
Basketball England Head of Talent and Performance Steve Bucknall said:
“We are excited to collaborate again with British Basketball to further strengthen the 3×3 form of the game as we forward to Birmingham 2022.
“The success of the GB teams last year, alongside grass roots 3×3 activity at home such as the Ball Out Tour, helped improve GB’s world ranking significantly.
“And it gave prospective Team England players valuable experience in competing and winning in this form of the game. By doing the same again, it will help us in our aim of Team England success at the Commonwealth Games and further building GB’s ranking on the road to Paris 2024.
“It will also provide role models and encouragement to help 3×3 grow even more across the country. It’s an exciting time.”
FIBA 3×3 Europe Cup Qualifiers
The action in Romania for the qualifying tournament will feature GB (28) alongside the following teams – world ranking in brackets.
Men: Romania (Hosts), Hungary, Czech Republic, Great Britain, Estonia, Italy, Turkey, Denmark, Bulgaria, Spain, Montenegro, North Macedonia
Women: Romania (Hosts), Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Great Britain, Estonia, Italy, Turkey, Denmark, Bulgaria, Latvia, Belgium
Qualifiers will be played with a Round Robin with four pools followed by a direct elimination starting with quarter-finals.
In the men´s category the winners of the semi-finals will qualify to the FIBA 3×3 Europe Cup 2022.
In the women´s category the winners of the semi-finals will qualify to the FIBA 3×3 Europe Cup 2022. The losers of the semi-finals will play one additional game and the winner of this final game will also qualify to the FIBA 3×3 Europe Cup 2022.